Biodegradation is the biologically mediated transformation and mineralization of organic or inorganic substances by microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and archaea, often via extracellular and intracellular enzymatic pathways. It proceeds through sequential steps including depolymerization, primary degradation to smaller intermediates, and ultimate mineralization to CO₂, CH₄, H₂O, inorganic salts, and biomass under aerobic or anaerobic conditions. In environmental and engineering contexts, biodegradation governs the fate of pollutants, natural organic matter, and synthetic materials, and is a central process in bioremediation, wastewater treatment, and life-cycle assessment of chemicals and polymers.
Rice farmers Siriporn and Amnat Taidee used to burn their paddy fields between plantings—a common method of clearing crop residue partly blamed for toxic smog that blankets much of Thailand every spring.
Agriculture
Apr 16, 2026
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4
Researchers have identified more than 600,000 microbial proteins capable of breaking down natural and synthetic plastics, revealing a far broader biodegradation potential across microbes than previously known.
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 15, 2026
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89
University of British Columbia researchers have developed a natural, biodegradable wash that removed up to 96% of pesticide residue from fruit and slowed browning and moisture loss. This could mean safer apples, grapes and ...
Bio & Medicine
Apr 13, 2026
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1421
Decomposition of dead leaves in Veluwe forests has declined by tens of percent since the turn of the century. Meteorologists from Wageningen University & Research discovered this in an analysis of long-term measurements. ...
Ecology
Apr 13, 2026
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29
In a study published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry A, Nagoya University researchers demonstrated that native soil bacteria, when treated with decoy molecules, can degrade non-native compounds, including persistent ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 9, 2026
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7
University of Tennessee Knoxville professor and Goodrich Chair of Excellence in Civil Engineering Frank Loeffler and his co-authors published new research on the environmental impacts of "forever chemicals" in Nature Microbiology. ...
Cell & Microbiology
Apr 6, 2026
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336
A new international study offers insights into the health risks posed by crops' absorption of "contaminants of emerging concern" (CECs) and flags knowledge gaps the authors say must be addressed. CECs include pharmaceuticals, ...
Agriculture
Apr 1, 2026
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9
Many aromatic compounds, such as phenols, cresols and styrenes, are toxic to organisms and harmful to the environment. They can accumulate as a result of industrial processes and harm ecosystems. Soil bacteria can help to ...
Cell & Microbiology
Mar 30, 2026
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12
A study conducted by researchers at the Center for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture at the University of São Paulo (CENA-USP) and published in the journal Environmental Sciences Europe identified residues of different classes ...
Ecology
Mar 20, 2026
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14
A colony of leafcutter ants is home to more than just one species. Each year, studies reveal new layers of complexity in these ecosystems, where various fungi and bacteria thrive alongside the ants, resulting in countless ...
Ecology
Mar 19, 2026
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46
